1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hydraulic livestock squeeze chute and more particularly to a fully automated, sensor-driven catch system for a hydraulic livestock squeeze chute.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the practice of livestock husbandry, it is necessary to restrain livestock such as cattle and bison by way of a squeeze chute having a tail gate, a head gate, and opposite side squeeze panels. The squeeze chute is commonly used for treating or performing typical procedures on livestock such as weighing, vaccinations, identification references, doctoring, and sorting. The head gate portion of the hydraulic squeeze chute is used to catch the animal's head and to restrain the animal. The side squeeze chute apparatus of the squeeze chute restrains the animal's body to keep the animal still and safe with the tail gate of the squeeze chute keeping secondary animals from coming into the chute while it is occupied. The conventional aspects of a squeeze chute are to keep the animals still and safe to administer the typical procedures.
All hydraulic squeeze chutes; of which Applicant is aware, in the industry today require that the operator manually operate the levers of a valve body on the hydraulic squeeze chute to catch the animal and restrain it to hold it still while treating or processing the animal. With a person performing the function, there can be missed catches due to lack of concentration or distraction. This can lead to catching the animal in the wrong place, potentially hurting the animal, as well as causing excess wasted time.